Portable apparatus for dressing the surfaces of rails in situ.



No. 795,184. PATBNTED JULY 18, 1905.

v M. WOODS & T. J. GILBERT. PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR DRESSING THE SURFACES 0P RAILS IN SITU.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 27,1904.

Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT MICHAEL WOODS AND THOMAS JEFF ERSON GILBERT, OF BRUNSIVIOK, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR DRESSING THE SURFACES OF RAILS IN SITU.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 795,184, dated July 18, 1905.

Applic i n filed September 27, 1904. Serial No. 226,211.

To all, whom, if; mm/,7 concern/.-

Be it known that we, MIoHAnL IVoons, residing at 309 Pigdon street, Princes HilLCarlton, and TnoMAs JEFFERSON GILBERT, residing at 1 Minnie street, Brunswick, in the county of Bourke, State of Victoria, and Common wealth of Australia, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Apparatus for Dressing the Surfaces of Rails in Situ, of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for cheaply and expeditiously removing joint or other inequalities in the surfaces of tram or other rails while they are in place. In the pastfespecially where rails were uneven at the joint, it has frequently been the practice to remove the unevenness or inequalities by chipping or filing; but with our invention a rotating dressingwheel which is mounted on a portable frame- Work is provided. One end of the said frame work is capable of being elevated or depressed. The said framework can'also be moved by hand along the rails, and the dressing-wheel and its shaft are capable of moving longitudinally.

The framework can also be bodily elevated by a crank and lever, and thus, like a two-wheeled hand-truck, be ready for transport to any distance from the rails.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of our invention, showing the framework above a rail to be dressed, the flange of one of the front wheels and a vertically-adjustable rear wheel being in the rail-groove. The said rear wheel has been depressed, thereby elevating the rear end of the framework and the dressing-wheel. Fig. 2 depicts a side perspective view of the front of the apparatus, showingthe gear by which the framework is traveled along the rail. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view looked at from the rear end of the apparatus. The rear end of the framework is elevated. Being overloaded, the front end of the framework rests upon the front wheels. The framework is bodily elevated by the crank and transport wheels. Fig. 4 depicts an end view of the intermediately-pivoted hand-lever, whereby the dressing-wheel shaft is moved longitudinally.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts where they occur in the several views.

Our invention includes a portable framework having a front end A and a rear end B. The said framework can be of any section and. preferably has welded. corners. Beneath its front end are two front wheels O, one or both of which may be singly or doubly flanged. Beneath the rear end is a rear wheel I). This is provided with a single or double flange and turns upon a stud E, protruding from the bottom of a vertical slide F. The upper portion of this slide F moves in a guide Gr, attached to the framework, and the top of the said slide has connected thereto the lower end of an elevating or depressing screw H. This turns within a nut attached to a bracket J, and its upper end has attached thereto the elevating or depressing hand-wheel K.

Near the hand-wheel K is the traveling handwheel L. This turns a shaft M, on the front end of which is abevel-wheel N. This bevelwheel N engages with another bevel-wheel O, attached to the top of the down-shaft P. At the bottom of the said shaft P is fixed a bevel-wheel P. This engages with another bevel-wheel (not shown) fixed upon the live aXle Q and supporting the front wheels O, or the clown-shaft P may be dispensed with and the front end of the shaft M lead to the bevel-wheel upon the axle Q.

Upon the front end of the framework is situated an oil or other motor B. This obtains its fuel from the oil-tank S and its jacket-circulating water from the watcr-tank T. It may be started by a crank-handle O.

On the motor-shaft is the driving-pulley U, from which a belt V drives the pulley upon the dressing-wheel shaft X. This shaft X turns within bearings attached to the rear end of the framework, and on an overhanging portion of the said shaft X is attached the dressing-wheel Y. -The said shaft X is capable of a longitudinal movement within its bearings. Around the said shaft is a circumferential groove or a groove formed by collars V, in which groove the lower portion of the legs S of a forked hand-lever Z engage. The saidhand-lever, which moves in the same plane as the axis of the shaft, is intermediately pivoted at Q, to the framework or stay R or other part. At its upper end it is provided with a bell-cranked spring-pawl A, which engages in a rack B, secured to the framework or the standard J.

To the framework and near its middle are attached two crank-pin bearings C. In these turn the crank-pin D. At each end of the crank-pin are the inner ends of crank-legs E. At the outer or lower ends of the said cranklegs are crank-axles F. Upon these turn the transport-wheels G. To the crank-pin D is attached the inner ends of combination elevating pulling or pushing levers H. The outer ends of'the said levers are united by a cross bar J.

To the framework is attached the lower end of a spring-catch K. The upper end L of this is bent backwardly upon itself, forming a stop M. In Fig. 3 the combination-lever H is retained by the stop, which stop when it is pulled outwardly from the lever releases the same.

Below the rear end of the framework is a dust-shield N. A dust-shield may also be placed above the pulley W.

The cycle of operations with our invention is as follows: When the apparatus requires transporting, the cross-bar J is depressed until the lever Hpasses beneath the stop M. The body of the framework is thereby lifted. Since the front end of the apparatus is slightly heavier than the back end, the front wheels rest upon the ground. The operators lift the cross-bar J and push the apparatus along the road on the two transport-wheels till the rail to be dressed is reached. The spring-catch is then pulled outwardly and the cross-bar J rises and the flanges of the rear and front wheels are dropped into the groove. The motor is then started and the hand-wheel K turned until the dressing-wheel Y bears upon the portion to be ground. The hand-wheel L is then turned and the framework moved backward and forward, as desired. The dressing-wheel can also be moved sidewise by means of the hand-lever Z. This dressing- Wheel .Y is preferably of such nature as to grind the surfaces to which it is applied. It will of course be obvious, however, that, if preferred, a milling-wheel may be used.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a movable frame, means for adjusting the frame vertically, and a dressingwheel supported by the frame and vertically and laterally adjustable thereon.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a movable frame, means for independ ently adjusting the ends of the frame vertically, and a dressing-wheel supported by the frame and vertically and laterally adjustable thereon.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a movable frame, means for inde- .pendentl y adjusting the ends of the frame vertically, a dressing-wheel supported by the frame, and means for adjusting said wheel laterally and vertically independently of the frame.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame having propelling means thereon, independently-operated means for vertically adjusting the frame, a dressingwheel supported by the frame, and means for adjusting said device in relation to the frame, and vertically and laterally adjustable thereon. 5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame having propelling means thereon, independentlyoperated means for vertically adjusting the frame, a dressing device-supported by the frame, and independent means for adjusting the device vertically and laterally independently of the frame. 6. In a portable apparatus of the characte described, the combination with transportwheels and a crank-axle supported thereby; of a framework mounted upon the axle, an operating-lever extending from the axle, an elevating mechanism extending from the framework at one end, and a dressing-wheel adjustably connected to the frame.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a framework; of a vertically-adjustable slide at one end of the framework, a wheel mounted upon the slide, means for operating the slide, a dressing-wheel rotatably mounted upon the framework, means for adjusting the wheel laterally,

and a locking device for said adjusting means.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a crank-axle and transport-wheels mounted thereon, of aframework supported by the axle, means for rotating the axle, a holding device for said means, wheels connected to opposite ends of the frame, propelling mechanism for rotating the wheel at one end, vertically-adjustable means connecting the other wheel with the frame, a dressing device connected to the frame, and mechanism for vertically and laterally adjusting said device.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL WOODS. THOMAS JEFFERSON GILBERT.

Witnesses:

EDWIN PHILLIPS, CEoI WV. LE JUSTRIER. 

